Easy opening resealable bag



Oct. 19, 1965 C, P BALCOM EASY OPENING RESEALABLE BAG Filed May 8, 1964 laI United States Patent O 3,212,698 EASY GRENING RESEALABLE BAG Calvin P. Balcom, Battle Creek, Mich., assigner to Cello- Foil Products, Inc., Battie Creek, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed May 8, 1964, Ser. No. 366,064 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-62) The present invention relates broadly to packaging, and in its specific phases to a special form of resealable bag.

In the past the common form of cellophane bag used for commercially packaging goods, and especially food items, has had a permanently sealed bottom with the bag formed and shipped flat ready for the packager to open, fill, and then fiatten and permanently heat seal the bag end through which the goods are packed. While this served the purposes of the packager very well it was unsatisfactory to the purchaser particularly if he wished to only use part of the bag contents at the time of opening. Such opening involved cutting or tearing the last closed end of the bag, removing some of the goods, and then trying to temporarily fold the bag end which has been opened, so as to protect the remaining goods until the next time some of same was wanted. It was a recognition of the shortcomings of such practices and that heat sealing of cellophane bags to make them reopenable by pulling the heat sealed area apart is critical and difficult, especially where the bag end does not have the same number of wall thicknesses throughout due to side wall bellows or the like, as wel las the lack of a thoroughly satisfactory solution to the problem involved, which led to the conception and development of the present invention.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved bag having a special resealable bottom which has not been initially heat sealed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flat foldable bag with a non-heat sealed bottom which is strongly sealed substantially air-tight but yet readily openable and resealable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiple folded bottom bag with such bottom sealed in closed position with a special adhesive or glue which does not permanently set up but remains sticky or tacky to facilitate opening and reclosing the bag bottom to remove goods therethrough, and with the reclosable and resealable end of said bag bottom being further provided with a separate tab member which is sticky or tacky on its under side, or in other words pressure sensitive, to initially help to hold the bag bottom in folded position, as well as after reclosing to produce a substantially air-tight seal between times of opening the bag bottom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bag which is top fillable and such top then heat sealable, when made of a heat scalable plastic, such as cellophane, or Pliofilm, in accordance with conventional practice while providing a non-heat sealed bag bottom which is readily openable and resealable by the user at will.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bag with a special folded bottom held temporarily but firmly closed with releasable tacky adhesive supplemented by a separate pressure sensitive tab which is tacky on its under face to releasably hold the edge of the folded bag bottom against the end portion of the bag.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then consists of a bag with reclosable bottom features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, such disclosed ICC embodiments illustrating, however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawing:

FIGURE 1 shows a perspective View of the resealable bottom bag of the present invention filled with merchandise and sealed.

FIGURE 2 shows the resealable bottom end portion of a blank for a resealable bag to be made in accordance with the present invention, and indicating a preferred location of the fold lines.

FIGURES 3, 4, 5 and 6 show progressively one way in which the bottom of the resealable bag of the present invention may be formed flat ready for expanding and filling where it will take on the general appearance shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 shows an enlarged cross section of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE l, as taken along the line VII-VII, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the folds and adhesive being shown in exaggerated thickness for better understanding.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawing it will be noted that the bag 10 has a bottom 11 which is shown closed by folds 12, while a preferred procedure for the forming and holding of same will be hereinafter described. This bag 10, which is delivered flat to the packer, is shown in FIGURE 1 after it has been filled and the top 13 sealed shut in conventional manner such as by heat sealing in the case of cellophane and polyethylene bags, while other bags such as those made of glassine, polypropylene, waxed paper, and even plain paper would be conventionally sealed in manner best suited to those materials.

In making the bag 10, a strip of bag stock 14, FIG- URE 2, of appropriate width for the size bag to be made, and which may be printed in advance or continuously as the strip is being fed to the tube former, is formed into a tube, FIGURE 3, with folded-in bellows sides 15 and, if desired, a plain overlap seam 16 closed by means of any suitable adhesive or glue 17, or alternately by heat sealing where the bag is of a material such as cellophane or polyethylene. The bag stock in this tube form is now ready for the forming of the resealable bag bottom of the present invention.

A preferred procedure in forming the resealable and substantially air-tight bag bottom 11 is progressively illustrated in FIGURES 3 to 6, inclusive, and where the bag 10, for example, is of cellophane, although it is not limited to this specific material. Here, as shown in FIGURE 3, there is applied in predetermined location a suitable glue or adhesive 18 which is preferably in two spaced strips as shown to facilitate opening of the bag as hereinafter described. This adhesive is preferably of a type which remains sticky or tacky and will firmly but releasably hold the folded bag bottom 11 at least as long as the shelf life of the goods to be packed in the bag. One such material especially suited for use with cellophane is a copolymer vinyl acetate emulsion such as is commercially sold by the F. P. Bartlett Co., under Number N-132-C. This particular adhesive has a milky appearance when applied so that you can visually observe that the adhesive has been applied, and yet same will gradually become transparent so as to produce an attractive finished product.

With the adhesive 18 applied, preferably in narrow strips as shown in FIGURE 3, a relatively sharp fold which is fiat and narrow is made to form an initial fold flap 19 in the end of the tube at the under side of same, FIGURE 4. The end of the tube is then turned back sharply to form a wider second fold flap 20, FIGURE 5, of a width substantially equal to one-half the thickness of the bag when filled, with the fiat narrow fold flap 19 on top. Next, the end of the tube is folded forward along 3 the folded edge of the flat narrow fold flap 19 to form a third fold flap 21, FIGURE 6, of a width substantially equal to one-half the thickness of the bag when filled, with the inner face of the second fold flap 20 coming into contact with the adhesive strips 18 to adhesively seal and rmly hold the bag bottom 11 in folded position.

A final sealing tab 22 having a suitable pressure sensitive adhesive on its face is then applied as shown in FIGURE 6 and preferably carries information to indi cate that the bag is openable at this end by first pulling up the end of the tab remote from the folded end of the bag bottom and then unfolding the folded portion of same. The pressure sensitive face of sealing tab 22 can be of any suitable very tacky but substantially non-drying adhesive such as the copolymer vinyl acetate emulsion previously mentioned.

With the bag 10 made of cellophane, or other like firm surfaced material, :and filled with goods or merchandise 23, the customer buying same will be able to open the bag, remove part of its contents, and reseal the bag at will. This is done by peeling back the sealing tab 22 from the body of the bag 10 so that it is only attached to the bag bottom 11. The folded bag bottom starting between the adhesive strips 18 is then pulled up with the pulling continued until the bag bottom 11 is released from said adhesive. This bottom can then be unfolded or unrolled to give access to the goods 23, only part of which is normally removed and thus making it desirable to reclose the bag 10 to preserve the freshness of the goods 23 remaining in the bag. The reclosing is accomplished, for instance, by refolding the bag bottom to its former position where the adhesive 18 may be used as a resealing aid, while sealing tab 22 is again adhesively sealed on the side of the bag as before regardless of whether adhesive 18 is re-used or not, thus completing the resealing procedure.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described, other forms within the obvious spirit and scope of the invention will now be apparent to those skilled in the art, such .as making the initial flap 19 by folding in the opposite direction at the start of making the resealable bag bottom. Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiment shown in the drawing and described above is merely for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to limit the spirit :and scope of the invention.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such lstated features be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A bag having a tightly folded readily openable and temporarily adhesively sealed bottom which, after opening, is readily refoldable and resealable, said bag having a substantially rectangular body portion with said bag bottom at one end of same, said bag bottom being of rolled up form having a completely turned back relatively uniform width narrow initial flap at the end of said body portion having its fold extending completely across same, a second completely turned back fiap crosswise of said bag body and having its fold spaced a short distance from but substantially parallel to the fold of said initial flap, the fold of said second flap being opposite to the fold of said first flap and with the first flap extending outwardly from said second flap, said second flap when folded being in contact with said adjacent body portion and wider than said initial flap, and :a third completely turned back flap crosswise -of said bag body and having a fold in the same direction as said second ap and opposite to said flap, said third fold being substantially parallel to said first and second folds, said third fold being adjacent said first fold and forming a third flap portion overlying and encompassing said first two flap portions with said second flap portion in contact with said adjacent body portion,

and a relatively non-drying tacky adhesive means firmly but releasably connecting said second flap means to said body portion for ease of opening same and in position for reuse in resealing said bag when said bottom is refolded for closing once more.

2. A bag as in claim 1 wherein means detachably engages the terminal edge of the third fold and bag body and being disposed inwardly of the side edges of the bag body to aid in holding the third fold in releasably sealed position.

3. A bag having a tightly folded readily openable and temporarily adhesively sealed bottom which, after opening, is readily refoldable and resealable, said bag having a substantially recetangular body portion with said bag bottom at one endof same, said bag bottom being of rolled up form having a completely turned back relatively uniform width narrow initial flap at the end of said body portion having its fold` extending completely across same and substantially perpendicular to the sides of said bag body, a second completely turned back flap crosswise of said bag body `and having its fold spaced a short distance from but substantially parallel to the fold of said initial flap, said second ap when folded being in contact with said adjacent body portion and wider than said initial flap, and a third completely turned back flap crosswise of said bag body and having a fold substantially parallel to said first and second folds, said third fold being adjacent said first fold when said second flap is in folded position :and forming a third flap portion overlying and encompassing said first two ap portions with said second flap portion in contact With said adjacent body portion, a relatively non-drying tacky adhesive means firmly but releasably connecting said second flap means to said body portion for ease of opening same and in position for reuse in resealing said bag when said bottom is refolded for closing once more, and a sealing tab having a pressure sensitive under face attached to the outer face of said third flap and to the body portion of said bag adjacent the 4free edge of said third flap to help hold the latter normally in sealed position.

4. A bag having a reclosable and resealable bott` m as set forth in claim 3, wherein said bag is made oflcellophane and said tacky adhesive is in the form of a copolymer vinyl acetate emulsion.

5. A bag having a reclosable and resealable bottom as set forth in claim 4, wherein said initial fold as well as said second fold are both sharp to form a substantially air-tight fold at each of these points when the bag bottom is closed.

6. A bag having a reclosable and resealable bottom as set forth in claim 3, wherein said initial fold as well as said second fold :are both sharp to form a substantially air-tight seal at each of these points when the bag is closed.

7. A bag having a reclosable and resealable bottom as set forth in claim 6, wherein said bag has bellows sides and said tacky adhesive is of a copolymer vinyl acetate emulsion type, and said second and third fold flaps are of a length such that each reaches approximately one half the thickness of the bag when filled.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 917,124 4/09 Peirson 229--62 2,338,041 12/43 King 229-51 2,346,106 4/ 44 Hannigan 229-51 2,429,505 10/ 47 Ashman.

3,070,280 12/ 62 Richmond 229-62 FOREIGN PATENTS 60,105 11/ 38 Norway.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner, 

3. A BAG HAVING A TIGHTLY FOLDED READILY OPENABLE AND TEMPORARILY ADHESIVELY SEALED BOTTOM WHICH, AFTER OPENING, IS READILY REFOLDABLE AND RESEALABLE, SAID BAG HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR BODY PORTION WITH SAID BAG BOTTOM AT OONE END OF SAME, SAID BAG BOTTOM BEING OF ROLLED UP FORM HAVING A COMPLETELY TURNED BACK RELATIVELY UNIFORM WIDTH NARROW INITIAL FLAP AT THE END OF SAID BODY PORTION HAVING ITS FOLD EXTENDING COMPLETELY ACROSS SAME AND SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE SIDES OF SAID BAG BODY AND HAVING ITS FOLD SPACED A CROSSWIDE OF SAID BAG BODY AND HAVING ITS FOLD SPACED A SHORT DISTANCE FROM BUT SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE FOLD OF SAID INITIAL FLAP, SAID SECOND FLAP WHEN FOLDED BEING IN CONTACT WITH SAID ADJACENT BODY PORTION AND WIDER THAN SAID INITIAL FLAP, AND A THIRD COMPLETELY TURNED BACK FLAP CROSSWIDE OF SAID BAG BODY AND HAVING A FOLD SUBSTAN- 